Do Not Retaliate
Notes
Transcript
How do you respond when mistreated? While checking his bags at the airport, a man became indignant with the employee who handled luggage. For several minutes he belittled the young man and criticized his every move. Surprisingly, the curbside porter didn’t seem troubled by this man’s verbal abuse. After the angry man entered the airport, a woman approached the luggage handler and asked, “How do you put up with such injustice?”
The young man said, “It’s easy. That guy’s going to New York, but I’m sending his bags to Brazil.” While that may seem funny and tempting, that is not how a Christian should respond to that. But many Christians do and even can be worse.
Here we are in the Sermon on the Mount, and Jesus is going through the law, and is raising the standard about the law to not just the exterior but also the heart. Here, Jesus is talking about revenge. Just like all the other ones, there has been abuses by the Pharisees and scribes about the application of the law. In this one it references Exodus 21:23–25 “And if any mischief follow, then thou shalt give life for life, Eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, Burning for burning, wound for wound, stripe for stripe.” The context has to do with law. But the Pharisees twisted it so much that personal insults and injustices could be revenged. Yet this is not what Jesus wants, but it is what we want. We like the ability to get even. Is that you? Are you someone who tries to get even? Are you someone who wants to get back at someone when you are wronged?
How do you need to respond to personal injustices?
Do not retaliate
Turn the other cheek, insult-slap on the face, He is not saying that you can never defend yourself
Romans 12:17–21 “Recompense to no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men. If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men. Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord. Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head. Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.”
Jesus did not retaliate
1 Peter 2:21–23 “For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps: Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth: Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously:”
In sports, there can be big fights. Generally what happens is one trash talks or cheaps shot and the other person gets mad, and tries to do something, so he might talk trash back or push him, and then it is just this big fight, which ends up justifiably worse for the person who was wronged first. If they would have just let it go, they would not have gotten into trouble, but when they respond they get in
So when personally you are insulted or attacked, and you go for the jugular, you are guilty before God, who commands you that you do not respond for vengenance
Also trust God to defend you
Do you try to retaliate?